Domestic appliance



Junel7, 1947. K CLARK v2,422,395

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Filed March 31, 1942 3 SheetsSheet J wan-.9,

/ r/WOR.

June 17, 1947.

KJCLARK DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Filed March 31, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet2 June 17, 1947. K. CLARK DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Filed March 31,1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 1 7, 1947 UNITED STATE s PATENT oncaDOMESTIC APPLIANCE Kendall ours, Oakwood, Ohio. assignor to GeneralMotors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication March 31, 1942, Serial No.

437,076. Divided and this application November- 24, 1948, Serial No.511,515

Claims. 1

This invention relates to domestic appliance,

pable of imparting rotation to the tub which contains the clothes andliquid, and reciprocation to the agitator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a driving mechanism forimparting rotary motion to a rotatable driven member, and reciprocatingmotion to a reciprocable driven member from a unidirectional rotatingdriving member.

Another object of this invention is to provide a driving mechanlsminwhich a spiral spring claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No.358,871, filed Sept. 28, 1940, for Domestic appliance.

The driving mechanism ismore fully disclosed in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, inwhich a.unidirectionai motor 28 cooperates with the transmissionmechanism to rotate the rotatable sleeve 21 and to verticallyreciprocate the shaft 22, which are connected respectively with the tubl8 and agitator ii. 'The motor rotor 28 is carried by a unidirectionalrotating drive shat 24 which has a bearing connection 24a with therotatable cage 28 at the upper end. The shaft 24 is supported onbearings 28, carried by the stationary portions of housing I2.

The rotatable cage 28 hassecured thereto combined brake and drivenclutch discs 21, which clutch is contracted and expanded to make adriving connection and to apply a braking action. Further objects andadvantages of the present invention will be apparent from the followingdescription, reference being had to the accom- D nying drawings,whereina preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown. 7

1n the drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical ing mechanism; I

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the tub and agitator to ,bedrivenby the mechanism Fig.1; I

. Fig. 3 is an enlarg'edview' in perspective of the central portion ofFig. 1; and j Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vi jw-of Fig. 1, showing thereciprocating shaft in its uppenposition,

Thewashing machine tub'l'il, vertically reciprocable agitator ii anddriving mechanism therefor contained in housing 12, The tub 18 mayinclude an'inner perforated basket i3" and anouter imperforate cup 14,the

construction being such cross-section of the drivthat clothes andliquidmay be placed within the tub i0, andthe agitator l l verticallyreciprocated while the tub remains stationary. This. producesv -awashing action, after. which the tub 18 may be rotatedat sufllcientspeed to cause the liquid to be discharged over the rim ii. 7 Duringthis'rotation, the tub l8 i's1 ',counterbalanced. by, ,a' weighted ring5 may include a rotatable supported on aresilient rubber collar carriedby vthe extension I8 secured on the tub l0. '-Details of the operationand construction of the foregoing parts are more fully described andcooperate with a combined brake and driving clutch disc 28. .Thearrangement is suchthat when the driving clutch'disc 28 is rotated, thedriven clutch discs 21 rotatably drive the cage 25 through the medium ofpins 28 on which they are axially movable, butrotationally keyed.

The combined brake and driving clutch disc 28 is connected tothe upperend of a spiral spring clutch .88 insuch a manner that the disc 28 ismaintained stationarywhen the lever 3| is moved into engagement with thelower end of the spring 30, and in suchv a manner that the disc 28 isrotatably 8| is moved away. sprin 3 The spring 88' holdsthe disc 28stationary by expanding against the outer stationary cylindrical wall:or sleeve 82. This expansion is caused by the fact that fcollar 83,which carries the disc 28 and is-s upported by the upper end .of sleeve32, is rigidly secured to the upper end 34 of the spring 30. When thecage 25 is rotatfromthelowe'r end of the 'ing, and the lever 8i isbrought into engagement with the lower end of the spring 30,'the lowerend of the spring 38 is, prevented from rotating while the upper end isrotated in an unwinding direction. The resulting to expand against theouter cylindrical wall 32, which stops rotation of the disc 28.Thereafter there is a sliding brake engagement be-.

driven by the shaft 24 when the lever action causes the spring bycompression springs 38, held in place by the washer and cotter-pinconstruction 39.

The disc 28 imparts rotation to the cage 25 when the motor 20 isenergized, and when the lever 3! is moved away from the spring 30. Underthese conditions, the spring 4!! acts as a oneway clutch, and wrapsaround the surface 40, which is keyed to the shaft 24, and thus therotation of the shaft 24 is imparted to the disc 28 through the mediumof spring 20 and collar 34. Under these conditions the motor 20drivingly rotates the sleeve.2l and tub It.

The motor 20 reciprocates the shaft 22 and agitator II when the motor isenergized, and when the lever 2| is brought into engagement with thelower end of the spring 10. Under th'ese conditions the spring ill tendsto'expand against the outer stationary surface 22 and thus maintainsstationary the discs 21 and 28and the cage 25. Under these conditions,the gear wheel 44, which is keyed to the shaft 24, drives the gear 44and shaft 41 to rotate the head 44 at the upper end of shaft 41. Anobliquely disposed pin 42 cooperates with the sleeve ll to rock theextension ll about a vertical arc. The extension ll cooperates with theball or cylinder 52 which has a bearing in the head 53 of th lower endof shaft 22. This construction causes vertical reciprocation of theshaft 22 when the motor 20 is energized with the lever 3| in contactwith the lower end of spring 30.

The lever II is fulcrumed at "I and is urged in a clockwise direction bythe spring II. A solenoid 62 cooperates with the end 43 of the lever 2i,so that when the solenoid is energized, the lever 63 is moved in acounterclockwise direction. Th construction is such th'at, when thesolenoid 52 is deenergized, the lever fl is in engagement with the lowerend of spring 30 and thus either applies a stopping force to therotation of the basket, when the motor is also deenergized, or imparts avertical reciprocation to the shaft 22 when the motor 20 is energized.When both the solenoid 62 and the motor 20 are energized, the cage 25and tub ll are rotated.

In an operation of the device, clothes and liquid are placed in the tubl0, and the motor 24 is energized while the solenoid 82 remainsunenergized. Under these conditions the tub I is maintained stationaryand the agitator II is vertically reciprocated because the spring It isbrought into engagement with the stationary surface 32, thus maintainingthe cage 2! stationary while causing the rotary-reciprocatingtransmission to operate. After a sufiicient length of time, the solenoid42 is energized along with the motor 20. This causes the lever Ii to bemoved away from the spring 30, and allows me spring III to wrap tightlyaround the shaft 24 and to impart rotation to the tub it through themedium of discs 21, 28 and cage 25. After a sufficient length of time toextract the liquid from the clothes, both the motor and solenoid 42 aredeenergized. This applies a brake action to the tub II and brings it toa stop. because the lever II is brought into contact with the lower endof spring II. causing the spring to expand against the stationarysurface 32 to stop the disc 2| and thus apply a braking action on thedisc 21, cage and tub ll.

Other features listed in the drawings are more fully described in mycopending application, to which reference is made, if necessary, for amore detailed description thereof.

Lubrication is produced by the gear pump action between the gears 45 and44, which forces lubricant through the passageway 10 to the chamber 4|from whence the lubricant flows through spiral grooves 12 and throughpassageway II in shaft 41 to the passageways 14 in sleeve 5 I0 and fromthence through passageway 15 through a plug It having a small passagewayto the interior of the shaft 22 from whence openings may be provided tothe various rotating surfaces in the upper part of the transmission. Thepassageway 14 is plugged at 11.

The operation of the device may be controlled by a single rotatableswitch of the type which may be automatically driven by a timing device,or may be manually rotated, or both. Thus the motor 20 and solenoid 82may be controlled by a rotatable timer switch or hand switch Bl, wellknown in the art. This switch may have a stop" position, in which allelectrical connections from the lines 84 are opened. In the "1511position the solenoid valve II is opened so that water fiows through thepressure reducing valve 48 and out of the nozzle 41 into the tub [0where the clothes and soap have been placed. If the switch 44 isautomatically timed, the energization of solenoid II is oi the correctduration to fill the tub I. to the proper level. Thereafter the switchills automatically or manually turned to the "agitation" position toenergize the motor 20 and deenergize the solenoid valve 45 and stop thefilling operation. Sinc the lever II is in contact with the lower end ofspring 30, the tub III is maintained stationary and the agitator H isreciprocated to wash the clothes. Thereafter, the switch 4| may beautomatically or manually turned to the spin position to energize thesolenoid l2 and motor 24. Under these conditions the lever ll is movedaway from the spring Ill and the tub II is rotated to extract the liquidfrom the clothes. If desired the timing mechanism which drives theswitch I may repeat the cycle automatically one or more times to fill,agitate and spin the clothes one or more times with rinse waters.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form. it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable member. a rotary drivingsh t. p al sprint clutch means, means to cause said spiral spring clutchmeans drivingly to connect said rotatable member and driving shaft, andmeans to cause said spiral spring clutch means to disconnect saidrotatable member and driving shaft and to apply a braking action to saidrotatable member.

2. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable member, a rotary drivingshaft, a spiral spring clutch, a stationary part. means to cause saidspiral spring clutch to connect said rotatable member and driving shaft.and means to cause said spiral spring clutch to disconnect saidrotatable member and driving shaft and to apply a braking action betweensaid rotatable memher and stationary part.

3. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable driven member, africtional clutch member drivingly connected to said rotatable drivenmember, a driving member, a stationary part. and a two-way clutch memberfixed to'said frictional clutch member and selectively connectible tosaid driving member and to said stationary Part.

7s 4. A driving mechanism comprising a cylinamazes drical stationarysleeve, a rotatable member, a driving member coaxial with said sleeve. aSpring clutch within said. cylindrical stationary sleeve, means to causesaid spring clutch drivingly to connect said driving member androtatable member. while being disconnected from said stationary memberand means to cause said spring clutch to connect said rotatable memberand stationary sleeve while being disconnected from said driving member.

5. A driving mechanism comprising a cylindrical stationary sleeve, arotatable member, a frictional clutch connected to said rotatablemember, a spring clutch connected to said frictional clutch andextending into said sleeve, a drive shaft coaxial with said sleeve,means to cause said spring clutch to contract on said drive shaft torotate said rotatable member, and means I to cause said spring clutch toexpand against said sleeve member to apply a braking action to saidrotatable member.

6. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable member, a frictionalclutch member driv ingly connected to said rotatable member, a drivingmember, a stationary part, a two-way clutch selectively connectible tosaid driving member and to said stationary part. and a solenoidcontroller for controlling said two-way clutch to connect said clutchselectively to said driving member or to said stationary part.

'7. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable member rotatable about anaxis, a driven frictional surface carried by said member, a drivingfrictional surface cooperating with said first named surface androtatable about said axis, a driving member rotatable about said axis, aoneway clutch connecting said driving member and said driving frictionalsurface, and brake means automatically effective when said rotatablemember is rotating and said driving member is disconnected by saidone-way clutch.

8. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable member rotatable about anaxis, a driven frictional surface carried by said member, a drivingfrictional surface cooperating with said first named surface androtatable about said axis, a driving member rotatable about said axis, astationary part, and a two-way clutch selectively connectible to saiddriving member and to said stationary part.

9. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable member rotatable about anaxis, a driven frictional surface carried by said member, a drivingfrictional surface cooperating with said first named surface androtatable about said axis, a driving member rotatable about said axis, acylindrical stationary wall coaxial with said axis. a spiral springhaving one end secured to said driving frictional surface and engageablysurrounding said driving member, and a stop member movable intoengagement with said spring to disengage said spring from said drivingmember and to expand said spring against said cylindrical stationarywall.

10. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable memberrotatable about anaxis, a driven frictional surface carried by said member, a drivingfrictional surface cooperating with said first named surface androtatable about said axis, a driving member rotatable about said axis, acylindrical stationary wall coaxial with said axis, a spiral springhaving one end secured to said driving frictional surface and engageablysurrounding said driving member, and a solenoid operated stop membermovable into engagement member secured to said rotatable member, adriving frictional clutch member cooperating with said driven clutchmember, a rotatable driving shaft disposed coaxially within said sleeve,a spiral spring secured to said driving frictional clutch member, andhaving a free end extending into said sleeve and engageably surroundingsaid driving shaft, and a movable stop member mov-f able into engagementwith said free end of said spiral spring.

12. A driving mechanism comprising a cylindrical stationary sleeve, arotatable member coaxial with said sleeve, a driven frictional clutchmember secured to said rotatable member, a driving frictional clutchmember cooperating with said driven clutch member, a rotatable drivingshaft disposed coaxially within said sleeve, a spiral spring secured tosaid driving frictional clutch member and having a free end extendinginto said sleeve and engageably surrounding said driving shaft, anelectric motor connected to said,

driving shaft, a solenoid operated movable stop member movable intoengagement with said free end of said spiral spring, and common switchmeans controlling the energization and deenergization of said motor andsolenoid operated movable stop member.

13. In combination, a driving means provided with an annular surface, arotatable means rotatable relative to said driving means comprising awound spring clutch member, a normally stationary restraining meansprovided with an annular surface, said annular surfaces being locatedad- Jacent said wound spring clutch member, said clutch member beinginherently sprung into frictional engagement with one of said annularsurfaces, and a second normally stationary restraining means forengaging one end of said clutch member to cause it to move intofrictional engagement with the other annular surface.

14. In combination, a driving means provided with an annular surface, arotatable means rotatable relative to said driving means comprising awound spring clutch member, a normally stationary restraining meansprovided with an annular surface, said annular surfaces being.lo-

cated adjacent said wound spring clutch member,

engagement with the other annular surface, one

of said means being provided with a friction slip arrangement. forlimiting the sudden load upon the engagement of the clutch member.

15. In combination, a driving means provided with an annular surface, arotatable means rotatable relative to the driving means comprising awound spring clutch member coiled around said annular surface with aspring tension, a normally stationary restraining means having anannular surface surrounding a portion of said clutch member, and asecond normally stationary restraining means for engaging an end coil ofsaid clutch member to unwrap said clutch member from the annular surfaceof said driving means and to expand said clutch member into engagementwith said annular surface of said first restraining means.

16. In combination, a driving means provided with an annular surface, arotatable means rotatable relative to the driving means comprising 6 Avr ing the sudden load upon engagement of the clutch member,

KENDALL CLARK. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 677,961 Lindsay Mar. 2-, 18971,855,057 Karsten et al Apr. 19, 1932 1,962,219 Starkey June 12, 19341,576,996 Radcliil'e Mar. 16, 1926 1,186,745 Callaway June 13, 19161,990,015 Allen Feb. 5, 1935 1,990,038 Lansing Feb, 29, 1932 2,134,202Racklyeit Oct. 25, 1938

